Baby Turner
by TurnadetteObsessor
Summary: When there are difficulties during Shelagh's labour there's only one person she wants, and he eagerly accepts the challenge. Can Patrick help her and the baby through it safely? Or will one or both of them suffer the consequences? What will happen in the months to follow? Disclaimer: I own nothing but Rosalie. All other rights to the producers :)
1. Chapter 1

Patrick was sat alone in the sitting room in the early hours of the morning during the cold winter of 1962 as he held an untouched glass of whisky in his hand, the lamp shining next to him on the table as the only sound that could be heard was the agonisingly slow ticking of the wall clock. And Shelagh's cries. For the past couple of hours, Shelagh had been in slow labour with their baby and her cries and screams of agony only grew louder and seemed to intensify. Her waters had broken at around midnight that evening and she had woken him after waking to a soaking wet nightgown, Patrick immediately telephoning Nonnatus and asking for Sister Julienne. Now, he was sat alone with his thoughts and it wasn't doing him any good. _What if she haemorrhages?_ He asked himself. _What if something goes wrong with the baby?_ The soft clearing of a throat snapped him out of his thoughts and brought him back to the present, Patrick standing when his eyes fell upon Sister Julienne. 'Doctor, we have an update on Shelagh,' Sister Julienne said gently.

'How is she?' He asked as he made his way over to her. 'Is she okay? And the baby? Please tell me they're both alright, Sister,' Her face indicated that there was a problem.

'Nurse Franklin and I both had a feel of Shelagh's stomach and it seems that the baby's laying sideways instead of head down. The heart rate is slow too, but we need a second opinion,' He nodded slowly as his heart thumped faster inside his chest. 'Shelagh wants you with her and I think your presence will help. She's becoming too worn out to push,' He offered the Sister a smile of gratitude before she allowed him past and he made his way up to his bedroom where he could hear Nurse Franklin speaking softly to his wife. As soon as the door was open Shelagh turned her head to face him as she was limp against the pillows, and her eyes filled with tears as Sister Julienne closed the door behind her.

'Patrick,' She whimpered when he took her hand and kissed the back of it as he sat next to her. 'Something's wrong, I know it is. Please, tell me what's going on,' He sighed.

'From what Sister Julienne has told me, it sounds as though Baby is laying sideways on, darling. I'm going to have a gentle feel of your tummy to find out what's happening,' He kissed her forehead slowly as she nodded and stroked her thumb across his knuckles, her body trembling as she tried to keep her emotions at bay. Nurse Franklin stepped back from the bed as Patrick moved around to the other side and carefully lifted Shelagh's nightgown to rest above the swell of her belly. He then carefully pressed his hands to her stomach to feel the position of their baby. 'It's definitely laying sideways, my love,' He admitted. 'Could you pass me my stethoscope, Nurse Franklin?' Trixie nodded with a kind smile before going into his doctor's bag and retrieving the instrument. 'You're doing so well my darling,' He praised his wife when another contraction coursed through her body and she closed her eyes as she breathed deeply. He then pressed the stethoscope carefully to her belly and listened carefully before pulling away. 'We need to get this baby out as soon as possible,' He said gently to the Nurses as he took Shelagh's hand and caressed slow circles into the back of her palm with his thumb, the fear showing on her face.

'What is it?' She asked tearfully when he stroked her cheek and her hand went to her stomach. 'Patrick, what's wrong?'

'Baby's heartbeat isn't as stable as I'd like it to be,' He informed her as gently as possible as he tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear. 'It's dropped down to 80 beats per minute and we need to get him or her out as swiftly as we can, alright sweetheart? For both yours and our baby's safety,' She nodded as a single tear trickled down her cheek, Sister Julienne rubbing Trixie's shoulder as the young Nurse trembled. 'Now, I'm going to try and turn Baby around and see if I can't get the head to become engaged. If I can't then we're going to have to telephone an ambulance,' He then kissed his wife's sweaty brow carefully before placing his hands back on her stomach as he kept her gaze. 'Now, just try and take some deep breaths for me when these contractions come. Don't push, but pant if you feel the need to. I know it's uncomfortable for you, but the sooner we turn the baby, the sooner you'll be able to hold it, my darling,' A small smile appeared upon Shelagh's lips, and Sister Julienne moved to take hold of her hand. Patrick then set about moving his baby to a better position within Shelagh's womb, a smile upon his face a few minutes later when he could feel the head within the pelvis. 'Baby's head's now engaged,' He reassured his wife and the nurses in the room, the three of them sighing in relief. 'But we still need to act quickly and get this baby out. I need you to push now for me, Shelagh. Don't wait for contractions, I just need strong pushes,' She nodded as she sat up against the headboard and held tightly to Sister Julienne's hand as she pushed strongly and groaned in pain. 'Good girl, keep that going for me,' He smiled as he kept an eye on her progress. 'Head's coming, now pant,' She panted continuously as Sister Julienne stroked her hair slowly and held her hand comfortingly. 'Head's born, Shelagh!' He praised her as he caressed her lower leg carefully and she gave a gentle giggle of relief. 'Now, I just need one final big push,' He told her, looking deeply into her eyes before she nodded and braced herself. She cried out as she pushed once more, and Patrick caught his baby when it had finally been delivered. 'Well done, my darling,' He chuckled as he cut the cord carefully and passed the baby to Nurse Franklin as it cried relentlessly. 'A little girl, Shelagh,' She finally let herself fall limp at her husband's words, her head falling back against the pillows as she smiled.

'Is she alright?' She asked breathlessly when Patrick came to sit at her side once again, Sister Julienne waiting for the placenta to follow. 'Will she need to go into hospital?' He shushed her soothingly as he drew the back of his fingers down her blushed cheek and kissed the side of her head lingeringly, a loving smile upon her lips.

'I think she's going to be fine, but I'll give her a check over in a moment,' He reassured her. 'But first...' He stood from the bed and made his way over to Trixie who had just swathed their daughter in a soft towel. He accepted her into his arms and looked over at his wife who pushed herself into a sitting position against the pillows. 'I think that someone wants to meet their Mummy,' His little girl cried softly as she flailed her small hands in his arms and he carried her over to Shelagh, shushing her gently as he slowly lowered her down into her arms. 'There we are,' He smiled. Shelagh gave a tearful giggle as she moved the towel away from her daughter's face, kissing her tiny forehead as she sniffed softly.

'Hello, darling,' She whispered as she drew her knuckle down her little girl's cheek and rocked her slowly. 'I'm your Mummy,' The tears were beginning to dry upon her cheeks as she cradled the newborn who's sharp cries of protest were now turning into soft whimpers and hiccups. 'Shhh,' Patrick smiled lovingly down at his wife from where he was standing next to the bed, and he stroked her light brown hair in pride as she couldn't draw her eyes away from her daughter who was now holding onto her little finger.

* * *

A short time later, when the sun was slowly beginning to rise, Patrick was holding Shelagh tightly in his arms as he was sat next to her beneath the covers and her head was back against his shoulder once the nurses had left. They had been sat in a comfortable silence for a considerable amount of time after he had checked Rosalie's respiratory system and given her the all clear, Shelagh dressing her in Angela's old nightgown before she had given her her first feed. Now, Rosalie was content to lay in her mother's arms whilst she looked up at her parents in curiosity. 'She's so tiny and yet so perfect,' Patrick said quietly, breaking the silence as Rosalie's tiny fist was wrapped partway around Patrick's index finger. 'It makes me remember Angela when she was this age,' Shelagh sighed softly as she turned her face into his neck and nuzzled her nose against his warm skin. 'I love you,' He whispered into her hair before placing a kiss upon the crown of her head and revelling in the beautiful smile she sent up at him.

'I love you too,' She giggled. They were just about to allow their lips meet in a light kiss when there was a knock on the door. 'Angela,' They laughed in unison when he pulled back a little, pecking her cheek before he got off of the bed and crossed the bedroom to the door. He opened the door slowly to reveal his four year old daughter looking up at him whilst she held her rabbit teddy by the ear, a gorgeous smile upon her lips as her eyes were still cloudy from sleep.

'Good morning, my Princess,' He chuckled as he swept her into his arms and placed her upon his hip as she giggled. 'Mummy and I have a very special surprise to show you,' Her eyes lit up as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he kissed her temple before carrying her over to the bed. 'If you're very quiet, then Mummy will show you what she's holding in that blanket,' He smiled as he sat down on the bed with her and held her in his lap. Slowly, Shelagh moved back the blanket from Rosalie's face and allowed Angela to look at her, a soft gasp coming from their daughter as she gazed at her little sister for the very first time.

'Mummy's baby?' She asked as she looked up at Shelagh with a beaming smile upon her face, her mother reaching out to stroke her hair lovingly.

'Yes my lovely, Mummy's baby,' Shelagh giggled when Patrick allowed Angela to move in between the two of them, settling her against his chest. 'But you're still going to be my baby too, I promise you that,' Angela seemed happy with the idea and snuggled close to her mother, laying her head upon her arm. 'Would you like to hold your sister?' She asked quietly when she met her daughter's gaze. 'I'm sure Daddy wouldn't mind,' Angela looked up at her father with pleading eyes, sparkling brightly.

'Oh alright,' He chuckled as he cupped her small cheek in the palm of his hand. 'But only if you're very, very careful with her. She's a lot smaller than you, and you need to be gentle,' Shelagh then placed a tiny kiss upon Rosalie's button nose before carefully placing her into Angela's small arms which were supported by Patrick's. 'You're going to be such a brilliant big sister, you know that?' He hummed into her soft blonde hair as she had her gaze locked with Rosalie's. Angela giggled softly when Rosalie gave a yawn, her small body shaking with the intensity of it before she cuddled against her sister's chest.

'She loves you already, my darling,' Shelagh giggled as she stroked her fingertips through Angela's hair. 'Just like Mummy and Daddy do,' Patrick took his wife's hand in his free one and kissed the back of it slowly, his gaze fixed with hers as she smiled lovingly at him.

'Thank you,' He mouthed to her when he settled back against the headboard. The three of them continued to cuddle together for the rest of the morning since Timothy had slept over at Collins' house the previous evening. It was one of the best mornings they had ever had.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Should I make this a multi-chapter story or leave it as a one-shot? Please Review if you can! Much appreciated! x~x~x~x_


	2. Chapter 2

Shelagh hummed softly a few days later as she was sat in the rocking chair that Patrick had bought for her, slowly rocking back and forth whilst she cradled Rosalie protectively in her arms as she had her feed. Her tiny hand rested upon the swell of her breast whilst her nipple was plugged between her tiny rosebud lips, her daughter's sucks gentle and slow as the lamp shone next to them. Even though it had only been a week since Rosalie had joined the Turner household, nobody could imagine life without her. Angela adored her and hardly ever left her side when she was awake, stroking her hair and giving her gentle kisses whilst she lay in her Moses basket or when Shelagh or Patrick held her. Tim was always showing her off to his friends whenever they called round to ask if he wanted to play out, the pride clear in his voice when he spoke about her. Patrick, though, was completely smitten with his little girl. Shelagh had lost count of the times that she had found him napping on the settee with Rosalie curled up on his chest whilst he held her. It was clear that she was already turning into a Daddy's girl, what with the way that she immediately quietened when he cradled her when she woke in the late evening. Shelagh had always wanted a child of her own, from a very young age, and now that she had Rosalie she knew that her life was completely perfect. She gazed down at her little girl as she continued to take her milk, her eyes full of love for the vulnerable little being that was nestled comfortable in her arms. She stroked her fingertips slowly against the light brown tufts of hair that covered her daughter's head, kissing her tiny temple when she felt more than heard the soft hum of contentment escaping Rosalie at the contact. A few moments later there was a gentle knock upon the sitting room door, and Shelagh looked up, smiling when her gaze met with her husband's as he leaned against the door frame with nothing but love, pride, and devotion shining in his eyes. 'You two look comfortable enough,' He chuckled softly as he made his way over to his girls, lowering himself into the armchair next to his wife before gently tucking a strand of hair back behind her ear. 'I can't explain how proud of you I am,' She transferred her gaze from her daughter to him and smiled before shifting Rosalie into one arm and taking his hand in hers. 'The way that you've settled into this way of life so quickly, and to see how much you love her,'

'I've always dreamed of having a life like this,' She admitted quietly as she readjusted Rosalie against her breast. He kissed her cheek delicately before stroking the side of his finger against his daughter's soft cheek. 'Thank you for her, Patrick,' Her gaze was back upon her baby as she smiled lovingly.

'It was a team effort,' He chuckled as he rubbed her arm slowly, her cheeks blushing as she remembered the evening that she had first shown Patrick her nightgown in Africa. 'I should be thanking you too, my love. When Ivy died I thought that it would just be Tim and I for the rest of my life. Don't get me wrong, I loved him more than anything and I still do, but I didn't have the first clue about raising a baby on my own. When I met you, even though you were a nun, I couldn't help but have a slight feeling that something was going to happen. I loved you from the very first moment I met you, you know that?' Her eyes filled with soft tears as she turned back to him and slipped her hand into his once again.

'We had to keep silent for so long,' She whimpered. 'It was so hard for me to think of anything else but you and the things I wanted to say. The thoughts were even harder for me to deal with during and after compline. I'd lay awake at night thinking about what life would be like if I was free to tell you my feelings, but I thought it would never even be a possibility. I felt trapped, I suppose. I do love the Sisters and I enjoyed my life before we were engaged, you know I did, but I was so confused about my feelings for so long, Patrick,' He kissed her knuckles lovingly.

'I know you were, darling,' He reassured her. 'So was I. We're together now though, and I fall more in love with you with every day that passes,' She giggled softly and left a lingering kiss to his lips as her hand found the side of his neck, her thumb grazing the warm skin there as she sighed into his mouth. 'Shelagh,' He hummed against her lips.

'Soon,' She breathed as she rested her forehead against his. 'I promise,'

* * *

Patrick sighed lovingly as he watched over his wife whilst she slept next to him when they were tucked up in bed a short while later, his fingers stroking delicately through her soft brown hair as she slept with her hand next to her head, her lips slightly parted as gentle snores escaped her and her eyelashes fluttered softly. He knew that she had had a rough childhood considering her mother had died when she was the young age of seven, meaning her father had turned to drink for solace. She'd had to be the one to keep things going as well as trying to keep up with her schoolwork, which must have been an awful large burden for her. He knew she had scars from her childhood. They must've been from either the strenuous work she'd had to do, or her father's temper after he had a few drinks in him. She wouldn't talk about it though. It was too painful. Just the thought of someone putting a child, let alone a child like Shelagh must have been, through something as difficult as that made his blood boil. As she shifted closer to him beneath the covers and subconsciously draped her arm over his stomach, he felt a surge of love and the need to protect his wife wash over him. He lay down with her and left a kiss to the crown of her head as she sighed, a sleepy smile forming upon his lips as he held her close and allowed her to rest her head down upon his chest. He could hear the soft breaths coming from both his wife and his daughter whilst they both slept peacefully, and he knew something for a certainty.

He was the luckiest man there had ever been.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Thanks for reading Pt. 2! I hope you're enjoying this fic, and like always, please review if you can! x~x~x~x_


	3. Chapter 3

It was the early hours of the morning a few weeks later when Shelagh woke again to the demanding cries of her daughter, a soft whimper escaping her as her eyes opened and Rosalie's Moses basket came into view with her tiny arms flailing in the air as her cries only grew more insistent. A few moments passed before Shelagh finally found the energy to begin to remove Patrick's arm from around her waist. However, before she could loosen his hold around her he buried his face into her neck and brought her further into him. 'Stay here,' He murmured against her skin as he stole sleepy kisses and buried his nose into the soft strands of hair he discovered. 'I know how exhausted you are, and you and I both know that it's not doing any favours for your health, my darling.' His voice was rough with sleep and she couldn't help but sigh in contentment.

'She'll be wanting her feed,' She admitted as she turned slowly onto her back and looked up at him with fatigue shining in her eyes. 'I don't mind getting up with her.'

'You are staying in this bed and that's final,' He chuckled before pressing a kiss to her forehead. 'Now get some sleep,' She nodded with a loving smile before kissing his lips and turning back over. Slowly, he pulled back the covers and slipped out of bed before making his way over to Rosalie's Moses basket. 'Oh, my little darling,' He soothed as he bent down slightly to lift his daughter into her arms, her cries sharp and desperate as he held her to his chest and shushed her for several minutes until she began to quieten. When her screams turned to soft hiccups and whimpers she looked up at him in curiosity, her tiny hand laying upon his chest as he smiled down at her and allowed her to suck gently upon the tip of his finger. 'There's no confusion about what you want, is there my love?' He left a slow kiss to her tiny temple before turning back to his wife, sighing when her eyes were filled with concern as she was propped up on her elbow. 'Shelagh darling,' He smiled as he crossed the bedroom and made his way toward her, perching himself next to her on the mattress before she caressed Rosalie's tiny cheek. 'She's absolutely fine, see? All she needs is a bottle and then she'll go back off, so I'll go down and feed her and then bring her back up, alright?' Shelagh nodded slowly as the corners of her mouth turned up into a smile and she cupped the side of his neck, leaving a sweet kiss to his lips.

'Goodnight Patrick,' She whispered. 'I love you,'

'I love you too,' He replied gently. 'I expect you to be asleep when I come back to bed, Misses,' She rolled her eyes good-naturedly before laying back down and nuzzling back into her pillow. 'Right then, my angel,' He stood up slowly with his daughter and studied her tiny features as she looked back up into his eyes. 'Lets go and get you your bottle, shall we?' He made his way across the bedroom towards the door before slipping through it carefully and quietly closing it behind him, walking across the landing towards the staircase. Once he was in the kitchen he warmed up some of the milk that Shelagh had expressed to put into bottles for her, and carried her into the sitting room before settling into the rocking chair with her cradled protectively in his arms. Gently running the nipple of the bottle against her tiny lips, she parted them to allow him to slip it inside and she began to suck hungrily as her tiny hand came up to hold the side of it. Gazing lovingly down at the perfect little baby nestled comfortably in his arms, he began to think about everything that he and Shelagh had endured together through their marriage. They had been nervous in the beginning, Patrick possibly even more nervous than she had been. On their wedding night she had been the one to take the initiative, telling him over and over again that she trusted him and that she knew he wouldn't dishonour her. Then they had been given the news that apparently Shelagh could never have children due to her contact with TB. Seeing her sobbing brokenheartedly in the hospital bed after she'd had her surgery had caused him physical pain, knowing that there was nothing he could do to take the emotional pain away for her. Now, however, she had proved that the surgeon had been wrong about her, for here he was cradling his own flesh and blood in his arms as she cuddled against him.

'Daddy?' Angela's soft voice broke him out of his reverie and he turned his attention toward her as she was stood in the doorway with tears shining on her cheeks.

'Oh my angel, what's the matter?' He gently moved Rosalie into one arm as he shushed her gently, allowing Angela to get into his lap and cuddle against him as she sniffled.

'Nightmare,' She whimpered as she buried her face into his shirt and he stroked her hair, kissing the crown of her head lingeringly. 'Sleep with Daddy and Mummy tonight?' He sighed softly as he nuzzled his nose into her soft blonde tresses, breathing in her natural perfume as it invaded his senses.

'I don't see why not,' He reassured her, stroking her cheek when she looked up at him. 'I need to finish feeding your sister first, though,'

'Angela do it?' She raised her eyebrow at him as she smiled, stroking Rosalie's hair carefully when he nodded lovingly. Slowly, he brought Angela to sit so that her back was to his chest, one of his arms wrapping around her middle as he placed Rosalie carefully into her arms and helped to support her, Angela holding the bottle lightly to her little sister's mouth. 'Angela love baby Rosalie,' She giggled softly as Patrick rested his chin gently upon his eldest daughter's shoulder.

'Yes,' He chuckled as he kissed the side of her head. 'I know you do, sweetheart,'

* * *

A short time later, once Patrick had safely tucked Rosalie back into her cot, he pulled back the covers and allowed Angela to climb into bed next to her mother. She snuggled close to Shelagh's warmth, resting her head upon her shoulder when her mother instinctively wrapped her arm around her tiny waist. With a loving smile, Patrick slipped into bed next to his wife and daughter before kissing the back of Angela's head and Shelagh's forehead gently. 'My girls,' He whispered softly into the darkness. As Angela drifted off to sleep that evening, Patrick stroked Shelagh's hair slowly as he watched over the two of them. He knew that soon enough Angela would grow up and wouldn't have her nightmares anymore, meaning that the cuddles she loved sharing with her parents would become less frequent. However, for now he made the most of her affectionate side and would cherish it for as long as possible. That was a certainty.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Thank you for reading Pt. 3! Timothy will come into this story soon enough, I'm just not sure when as of yet, hehe :) Please Review if you can! x~x~x~x_


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